The Campo de Golf is laid out in a long strip running through the upscale Tangolunda resort area and terminating at Playa Tangolunda next to the Huatulco Trailer Park. In Puerto Escondido you can contact Gina to make arrangements to play golf.

Just got back from Huatulco, played the course 3 times. I have a 8 handicap, and I did indeed like the course, except the greens are in terrible condition right now. Burnt and patchy. The best I could score was a hard fought 79...and only because I chipped in for a birdie on 18.

The middle tees really soften the course and I would recomend the first round regardless of handicap, and don't even think about the blue tees if your index is above 12.

Playing from the tips is quite different from the middle tees, the angles are much tougher and the landing areas are much smaller. Hole # 9 from the tips is long...I poked my drive about 250 and faced a 190 carry to the two tiered-green (flag was back left)...against the wind.

12 and 13 (I think these are the holes that go right next to the Barcelo beach area) are the toughest holes in my opinion. 12 is a par 5 that requires a position drive, then the green is up a hill...about 50 yards in front of the green is a small hidden water hazard...behind the green is the Pacific ocean. 13 is dogleg left that has O.B. along the right side...slice it off the tee and your ball is on the road, O.B.

Over all I give the course a B++ rating...not the in the best condition (the greens), but very challenging and fun to play...and empty...no waiting for hackers...great price.

Caddies seem to only work early...and do take Stewars't advice...load up on the insect repellent. My legs were eaten by who knows what...

Gri-lango
December 2006

Thre is only one golf course in Huatulco. It is a great course, little played and reasonably (by International resort standards) priced.

The golf course in Huatulco can be summed up in one word: Challenging! The course is always in great shape, well watered with not a single brown patch to be seen anywhere. The course is not your typical resort style layout that allows for players to spray the ball widely and still score well. Balls hit wide of the target will be penalized. The course is laid out on a deep but narrow piece of property. As a result there are few instances of holes running parallel to each other. Most holes are bordered by a combination of: trees; jungle (out of bounds); ponds and a concrete aqueduct. This mix of trouble elements is often in play on both sides of a hole. Many times misdirected shots are either lost or unplayable. Conversely, precise shot making is rewarded with good scoring opportunities. After a solid drive, the par 5ís and all but a few of the par 4ís (7,9, 14, 18) can be reached with short irons to good-sized greens. The greens are not heavily undulated meaning putts can be holed. All greens, tees and fairways are Bermuda grass. Many vacationers donít get a chance to play on this kind of surface very often. The broad flat blade of the Bermuda grass does play substantially slower on the greens than the bent grass most of us are familiar with at our home courses. Once you have recalibrated your putting stroke to account for the slower greens, you should be able to make more than your usual share from outside of 10í because of the relatively flat contouring.

Huatulco is hot. Golf course is no exception. Unless you are in really good shape, plan to play early, take a caddy or ride in a power cart. The local wildlife is not the same as you may be used to. I donít mean to scare anyone but snakes, scorpions, tarantulas etc etc do reside in the surrounding jungle. If you hit a ball deep into the brush, send in your caddy or just drop another ball, you donít want too close a look at the indigenous fauna. Depending on time of year mosquitoes can be an issue. The Mexican variety pack a real mean bite. Bring insect repellent and apply liberally BEFORE you go out. The pro shop does have rental clubs but they are pretty rough. Plan to bring your own clubs, balls, glove, replacement spikes etc etc. Pro shop doesnít have high end brands of this kind of thing available. The clubhouse does have a nice restaurant, pool and tennis courts. I have retired to this pool many times after a round because it is quiet and little used as compared the pools at the all-inclusive resorts. If you patronize the restaurantís proprietor Bernardo to the tune of a few sodas or beers before you start (he packs them in a little cooler with ice for your cart) he will reward you with a cool liquorices liquor infused wet towel after your round. Very refreshing way to end the round! The golf course is typically one of the most under used pieces of infrastructure in Huatulco. Most days you can expect to simply walk up and tee off within minutes. Power carts are the sometime exception to this rule. Reserve your power cart in advance whenever possible. Greens fees and cost of power carts do seem to go up a little every year. In Feb í05 rack rate for a single round was 725 pesos, power cart for 2 players was 325 pesos. Many hotels can extend their guests a discount of 20-30% off greens fees and cost per round can be reduced if multiple day package is purchased.

Regards,Stewart Broadley
December 2006

Golf course in Huatulco is the most challenging I have played in Mexico. I play off of a 6 handicap and I was only able to break 80 1 time in 6 rounds from the back tees. The course is fantastic shape: not a brown patch to be seen anywhere; beautifully sculped bunkers with course beach sand raked to perfection daily; slow (bermuda grass) but true rolling greens. Somewhere online I have seen a stroke rating for the course at 74.1 from the back tees. I submit this rating to be maybe even a half stroke too low. Because so much water must be put down to keep the course in good shape, fairways are very soft. Even a well hit, low flighted drive was only getting a yard or 2 of roll. I have now made 4 trips to Huatulco and this golf course is the reason I keep returning.

The club house has a decent restaurant and a very nice pool which like the course itself is pretty much empty. This pool makes for a nice option away from the young kids and crappy disco music prominent at resort pools.

The course is operated by Fonatour so this is the 1 location you will not have any luck bargaining a better price. I paid $63 USD per day for green fee and shared cart. You can walk the course but it is really hot out there even with an early tee time. If you are a serious player bring your own clubs, rentals looked pretty rough. In fact plan to bring any golf related items you might need: plenty of balls; a new glove; replacement spikes; etc. The pro shop stocks only balls and tees, over priced and not my brand of choice. Final recommendation and I cannot stress this point strongly enough: BRING INSECT REPELLANT. The bulk of the course is routed through surrounding jungle, plenty of Mosquitoes whose bite packs a real wallop. Repellant is not sold in the pro shop. Even 15 minutes with no protection will be a serious mistake.

Cost of fees does in my Mexico golf experience (Ixtapa, Loreto) represent a premium of maybe 20-30USD per day but serious players will find it a premium worth paying for a vastly superior product.

Enjoy your golf!

Regards,Stewart Broadley
January 2003

I really enjoyed the course. It is different, almost without a layout at times, winding this way and that. Some holes are very straight forward and others meander in and out of fairway trees. You do need to be fairly straight to preserve your ball purchase. Rates appear to be flexible - listed at 490 pesos for a round and 325 (or so) for a cart I paid between 400 and 600 for both depending on how hard I bargained. If you get there before they open, you can get a cart and start at first light, complete a round in 2.5 hours and pay when you have completed 18.

lgtravel@optonline.net
February 1999

The course provides a great number of interesting challenges and beautiful scenery. From the championship tees the course plays about 6800 yards, 6300 from the whites. The trees represent the major obstacle on the course, one par three plays over a 100-footer, while most of the longer holes employ a tree or two in the middle of the fairway. After inquiring about the fairness of these hazards to the pro he replied that the course could use a chainsaw. The greens were basically slow, some larger than others, but no postage stamps (except maybe hole 13 which brings you toward the
ocean). The course has a fair amount of water, and other waste areas which ate a handful of my golf balls. Overall I found the course very challenging, scenic, playable, and definitely worth the effort.

JIMLIZGOR@aol.com
February 1999

We played golf twice, both early in the am, because of the temperature later in the day. The course was very nice; whites are 6366 yards, ladies are 5605 yards. Was well-maintained, you can walk, ride or use a caddy. We walked with a caddy and also used a cart. The greens were slow the first day (weren't cut). Second time they were cut and were fine. It's faster to go off the back 9 if you play early. Price for 18 was 665 pesos. There was a package deal for 3, 5 and 10 rounds with a cart, which was cheaper. Depends on how much you want to play. Look out for some 'interestingly placed' trees, right in the middle of the fairway! There's also an alligator in the pond on the 10th hole. He seems to be well fed!